Whisky, 'Iwai Tradition - Aki / Fall, Wine Cask', Mars Distillery

• Annual, limited release blended Japanese whisky from Mars Komagatake (fka Mars Shinshu) in Nagano, Japan • Distilled from 70% malted barley and 30% corn in copper pot stills • Iwai Tradition, from the Mars entry-level range, is finished in Cabernet Sauvignon casks from an undisclosed winery in Napa Valley, California • Iwai Tradition is aged primarily in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks (other cask types including ex-wine, port, & new oak may vary batch to batch) • Aromas of dried cherry lead to vanilla and black pepper on the palate with textbook Napa Cab notes of red berries and plum on the finish • 40% ABV Iwai Tradition is finished in Napa Cabernet barrels for this annual release, which is notably the only limited release in the Iwai lineup to use American wine casks.